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Posted

Was out on bronte the other day for trout with Matt (norternpike56) and his friend Phillip, we saw about 5 trout but it's still mostly salmon. I managed one on a bright pink marabou streamer and phil got one on a spawn sac.

 

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We're going back tomorrow and although the focus will still be on trout, salmon will be far more common and I'd like to get a couple more on the fly, my question is what flies are most effective for salmon on great lake tribs? Thanks!

Posted (edited)

I have no idea about the flies you need Chris, but congrats to the pair of you guys for a couple very impressive fish.

Edited by lew
Posted

Thanks guys, incase it interests anyone both fish were released. We also helped out a couple of salmon that had beached themselves while running up riffles. oops.gif Matt also got a nice one but it was dark so we didn't take a picture of it.

Posted

For fall trout, my fly of choice is a simple single egg fly in orange. If you ever keep a trout for the dinner table, check it's stomach contents. When the salmon are still running, you usually find they are gorging on salmon roe. My buddy and mentor often does well drifting live roe in sacks, just like on a pin. It takes a bit more skill to get the drift right though.

 

In the spring, there is more insect life so you can do well with stonefly nymphs, and my personal fav a bead headed prince nymph. Egg patterns still work well, and sucker spawn patterns do well too.

 

The size and brightness of all flies often depends on the clarity of the water and the hatch at the time. Pay attention to nature. Good fly fisherman always keep a close eye on what kind of flies are rising off of the water, and what kind of nymphs are hiding under rocks.

Posted

For fall trout, my fly of choice is a simple single egg fly in orange. If you ever keep a trout for the dinner table, check it's stomach contents. When the salmon are still running, you usually find they are gorging on salmon roe. My buddy and mentor often does well drifting live roe in sacks, just like on a pin. It takes a bit more skill to get the drift right though.

 

In the spring, there is more insect life so you can do well with stonefly nymphs, and my personal fav a bead headed prince nymph. Egg patterns still work well, and sucker spawn patterns do well too.

 

The size and brightness of all flies often depends on the clarity of the water and the hatch at the time. Pay attention to nature. Good fly fisherman always keep a close eye on what kind of flies are rising off of the water, and what kind of nymphs are hiding under rocks.

 

 

Thanks! Any info on salmon?

 

 

Posted

Doesn't matter what you fly you use for salmon. Unless you are lucky enough to encounter them within their first hours in the river, in which case they will slam almost anything bright, they don't want to eat or attack what you have. Wooly buggers, egg sucking leech's, often the same stuff that will work for bows.

 

Only on extremely rare occasions have I seen a not-fresh salmon intentionally bite at anything. A general rule of thumb is, if the fish has lost it's silverish colours, and is now turning into a yellowish- to green- to black (depending how long its been in there) colour, chances are it's moot to cast at unless you plan on poaching.

 

Cheers

Posted

Despite what some will say, males will attack with pretty good aggression even if they have been in the river for a bit of time.

 

I just returned from a trip up in Thunder Bay and witnessed first hand how aggressive chinooks can be on the fly. I have actually not seen them this aggressive before, which maybe attributed to less pressured waters of the north. They went nuts for white zonkers while I was there but I think you will be fine with any variety of streamer patterns like buggers, zonkers, or even classic spey tupe flies.

Posted

anything flashy.....tie lots of chrystal flash in the tail......and sparkled up cheneille. The Salmon stike out of aggression and protection and not for the food. Mostly angry males hit the flashy flies. the chinook are pretty old and booty now...........we need rain more than I can ever remember to get those Trout upstream .

Posted

anything flashy.....tie lots of chrystal flash in the tail......and sparkled up cheneille. The Salmon stike out of aggression and protection and not for the food. Mostly angry males hit the flashy flies. the chinook are pretty old and booty now...........we need rain more than I can ever remember to get those Trout upstream .

 

We saw 2 rainbows yesterday but couldn't get them to hit. The fly was a large purple marabou fly with a big flashabou tail.

Posted

We saw 2 rainbows yesterday but couldn't get them to hit. The fly was a large purple marabou fly with a big flashabou tail.

 

If you saw them, they saw you... That river is so piss low and clear I'm surprised people are actually fishing it.

 

Head on over to some of the bigger rivers in that area, gotta be more fun then sight fishing for chinooks while half their bodies are out of the water.

Posted

If you saw them, they saw you... That river is so piss low and clear I'm surprised people are actually fishing it.

 

Head on over to some of the bigger rivers in that area, gotta be more fun then sight fishing for chinooks while half their bodies are out of the water.

 

Which river would you suggest? Because I do enjoy big river fishing more. I find the credit is still a little small, and I've never seen (although I'm sure they're there) any salmon or trout in the rouge.

Posted

[if ya wanna catch Steelhead....Stealth is the name of the game. When you are up over them they think your a predator. BillM is totally right.......if you can see them.....they saw you way way before that. Stealth.....flourocarbon...and distance witll produce. the fly isnt as important as the presention. Just stay at it as its a patient mans game.......it will come one day. When it does the addiction will begin. tight lines

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